The Portland daily press., 1887-05-18
OUR LABOR LAWS.
Commissioner Matthews Confirmed
by the executive Council.
The Relations Of this officer with the
Deputy commissioner.
Career of a Veteran Maine Office
Holder,

seen around the State House for some time
is the Hon. Samuel w. Matthews, Commits
sioner of the Bureau of Industrial and Labor
Statistics. His nomination was unanimous
ly confirmed by the Council to-day, and this
afternoon he started for Massachusetts with
Governor Bodwell, where he intends to look
into the practical workings of the Massa-
chusetts bureau. Mr.. Matthews says that
there has been considerable popular confu-
sion as to the duties Of his office. The differ
ence between his position and that of General
James A. Hall does not seem to be thorough
ly understood. To understand the relations
of these two officers it will be necessary to re-
call some circumstances of last winters leg
islation. There were two bills pending, one
to establish bureauof labor statistics and
the other the Lo0ney ten-hour bill Various
efforts were made to combine the two bills.
or combine the offices created by the bills.
The outcome was rather illogical. The act
establishing the Bureau of Statistics created
a commissioner Of the Bureau of Industrial
Statistics, whose duties shall be to "collect.
assort, ETC., statistical details relating to all
departments of labor in the State, especially
in its relations to the commercial, industrial.
social, educational and sanitary condition Of
the laboring people; and to the permanent
prosperity of the productive industries of the
State; and also to inquire into the immediate
causes OF strikes, l0ckouts or other disturb
ances of the relations between employers
and employees" This is the office held by
Mr.. Matthews. The ten-hour act on the
other hand, created Deputy Commissioner
OF Labor who shall enforce the ten-hour act
and also insist in the collection of statistics
ana other Information which may be re-
qulred for the use of the bureau of industrial
and labor statistics" This is General Halls
once. Ihe two offices are distinct, although
10 the titles and assignments of duties it win
pc seen that there are relics Of the attempt
70 combine them. As the ten-hour law does
not go into effect until July 1st, General Hall
VIII not be confined and commissioned until
another meeting. Mr.. Matthews, on the
other hand, has been commissioned and goes
20 work at once His first work will be pure
ly the collection of the available Statistics
relating to the magnitude of our various in
oustrles, the investigation of special sub
Jects relating to labor and public economy
VIII come later. The commissioner has a
salary OF $500 yearly with $1,000 for ex-
penses: He also has the help of the Deputy
Commissioner OF Labor, who will be expected
70 collect some statistics while lie is travel
ing about enforcing the ten hour law. But
most OF the statistics must be collected by
ssendlng out blanks to town clerks, manufac
turerS and others. 1t is not practicable on
the small appropriation to employ special
agents as is done in Massachusetts.
Mr.. Samuel w. Matthews, who is to be at
the head of the Maine Bureau for some
years, probably, is known most widely as the
editor OF the Aroosto0k Republican. For
good many years he has been in politics in
Maine. His father was for years the prin-
cipal OF the old Hampden Academy. and it
was In that town, famous as Hannibal Ham,
Inns early home, that the present commits
sioner was born in 1882. Like his father be-
fore him Commissioner Matthews is a gradu-
ate OF Colby University. 1t is said that he
was the first son of an alumnus of that in
stltutlon to graduate from it. He graduated
IN the class Of '54, He read law for a time
taught year at Lee Normal Academy.
Then he went to North Carolina and taught
until the approach of the war made il too
hot Tor northern man. Returning to Maine
ne taught at Corinna Academy year. In
1850 he began the practice of law in Hamp-
den. He,ery soon became public officer.
receiving the appointment of Assessor of
Internal Revenue. This Office he held ten
years In 1873 he sat in the Legislature for
Hampden and Veazie as a Republican
position on Hurricane Island, where General
Illlson was taking out granite for the ST.
Louis post office. He was there from 1874 to
1879, That year, the year of the great Green
back uprising, he was nominated for Senator
by the Republicans of Penobscot county.
With the rest of the county ticket he was
defeated. That winter he betook him
self to Aroostook county, and founded
the Aroostook Republican in Caribou. In
1881 he was appointed Deputy Collector of
Customs at Fort Fairfield, and held office un-
til the present administration came into
power.
THE NEW LAW IN LEWISTON.
gentleman from Lewiston says that
new school house is going up in that city
especially for the accommodation Of children
under twelve years of age who will be
driven out Of the mills by the new law.
There is no doubt that in the mills in Lewis
July 1st.